Case Number 02300

Strange Brew

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All Rise...

The Charge

Take off eh, ya hoser.

Opening Statement

Before Saturday Night Live spewed forth a feature length film based on
every skit character ever created, SCTV gave birth to Dave Thomas and
Rick Moranis' Canadian drinkers Bob and Doug McKenzie. These may very well have
been the most popular characters from that TV sketch show, and dare I say the
most interesting people to come OUT of Canada? No! Wait, I'm kidding! No hate
mail from Canadians, please! Anyhow, in 1983 Thomas and Moranis co-wrote and
co-directed the adventure of Doug and Bob McKenzie in the now-legendary cult
classic Strange Brew. Fans will finally let out a sigh (or burp) of
relief when they discover that the film is finally on DVD care of Warner Home
Entertainment!

Facts of the Case

Bob and Doug McKenzie hit the big screen in their very first movie,
Strange Brew! Our beer lovin', hockey playin' Canadian friends are about
to do battle with the evil Smith (Max Von Sydow, Needful Things), a
dastardly brewmeister who is plotting to take over world one beer drinker at a
time! When Bob and Doug head over to the Elsinore beer factory to get free suds
by stuffing a mouse in a beer bottle and passing it off as contaminated, they
inadvertently wind up with new jobs! The factory is owned by the deceased
founder's daughter, Pam Elsinore (Lynn Griffin, TV's Stephen King's Storm of
the Century), and she smells a rat: Brewmeister Smith! As Bob and Doug dig
deep into the factory's history (i.e., bumble their way around the building),
they find a world domination plot so devious that only the wily charms and wit
of these two unlikely heroes can stop it!

The Evidence

Okay, eh, so here's the deal with this movie: see, it's funny, okay, but it's
also really goofy and, like, silly. I think I totally understand why this movie
is so popular, you know? I don't know any other film that has tried to
incorporate stuffing a mouse in a bottle to get free beer, Max Von Sydow as an
arch nemesis, and Mel Blanc's voice as the main character's father's voice. It's
all like very exciting, ya know? In fact, I may even go out on a limb and say
that it may be more exciting than jelly donuts and beer. Okay, so maybe I'm
being a knob—nothing's better than beer, right eh?

So, like the big question is, "Why has Strange Brew become such
a big hit among comedy fans?" That's a good question there, hoser. I
remember watching the movie when I was a kid over and over and over again and
laughing like a drunken moose. There's just something intrinsically funny about
Bob and Doug—they're kinda like Bill and Ted, version 1.0. Before there
was Wayne and Garth, there was the McKenzie brothers. Before there was Abbott
and Costello there was…okay, like maybe that's going too far back. I guess
there's just something really entertaining about watching two guys being told by
a judge to have order in his court and responding with, "Gimmie a toasted
back bacon, hold the toast." Like, Strange Brew is filled with all
kinds of witty and moronic dialogue, and I dare any of you knobs out there to
try not laughing at Bob and Doug's frantically stupid banter. Both Dave Thomas
(he was like that guy in that TV show about that working class woman who had
kids) and Rock Moranis (he was like that guy in that movie about those ghosts
and those guy who caught them) have their characters down to a science and know
every nuance and tick needed to make them likable. And hey, any movie that
starts with the MGM lion logo burpin' up suds can't be all bad, can it?

I also liked the fact that these hosers were able to get imposing character
actor Max Von Sydow in their movie. Don't you think that guys got the scariest
haircut and choppers this side of The
Exorcist, eh? Paul Dooley (that guy from that movie about sixteen candles
with that Molly Ringwald girl) is also pretty funny as that Von Sydow guy's
right hand lackey. Uh, there's like this really funny scene where that Von Sydow
guy lifts up that Dooley guy and then he starts talkin' to him really mean
and…well, I'm not too good at explainin' scenes and all, eh. You should
probably just see the movie.

Okay, so Strange Brew ain't a perfect movie or nothin', ya know? Not
every joke and gag is funny 'cause, let's face it, this was made in 1983 and
some of the humor is like a little dated and stuff. However, the goof stuff
outweighs the bad because the fact is that I laughed a whole lot while
watchin' this movie. The story is pretty silly and outrageous—I mean, who
would actually try and take over the world using beer? Maybe light, but
definitely not regular beer! Well, I mean except for that Von Sydow guy and his
bad haircut and choppers. Then again, I guess if you're going to see this movie
for a sharp character arc or intricate plotline you're just one big tool and
deserve to be disappointed, eh? Fans who like this movie will want to hork this
DVD from a retailer's shelf as soon as possible. Not that I like encourage
stealing, but let's face it—everything seems a lot cheaper in the U.S.
Have you seen our Canadian book prices?

Beauty, eh!

Strange Brew is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and she's a
looker! I was surprised at how nice this transfer looked considering its age and
budget. I was expecting this to be a fairly shoddy transfer and was pleasantly
surprised at the crispness of the image. While there are a few inherent flaws to
be found in the image (including a small amount of grain and a tad bit of wear
in the colors), overall this is a more-than-passable transfer which should
please fans of the film.

The soundtrack is presented in Dolby Digital stereo surround in both English
and French. While the video transfer was a pleasant surprise, this sound mix was
generally what I was expecting—rather flat and uninteresting. Dynamic
range and fidelity are only slightly present with most all of the soundstage
filtering through the front and center speakers only. This soundtrack won't bowl
over your surround sound system, though it's clear of any excessive hiss or
distortion. Also included on this disc are English, French (woo-hoo!), and
Spanish subtitles.

Warner really missed the boat on this one in the way of extra features. It
would have been a blast to have listened to a commentary track by Thomas and
Moranis (and even better if they'd have done it in character). Unfortunately,
there are no commentaries, behind-the-scenes retrospectives, or deleted scenes
on this edition of Strange Brew. What fans do get is an all-new world
premiere short titled "The Animated Adventures of Doug and Bob
McKenzie." This is apparently a sneak peek at a new cartoon in the works
ala The Simpsons. From the looks of this short the show has promise,
though it's a little too soon to tell. A classic McKenzie brothers sketch from
SCTV titled "How to Stuff a Mouse in a Beer Bottle" is
included, though the fact is that this gag is also featured in the movie and is
far more polished and funny there.

Finally there are a few cast film highlights and a theatrical trailer for
the film. Also included is an easy to find Easter egg dictionary of Canadian
slang ("eh," "hork," and other fun examples are
featured).

Closing Statement

At the low price of around 15 bucks, this disc is a worthy edition to any
beer/hockey/Michael J. Fox/Ontario/DVD fan's collection. While Strange
Brew may not be a cinematic milestone, ya gotta admit—it's one funny
flick. And if you don't think so, well you can just take off, ya hoser!

The Verdict

Strange Brew is, like, free to go! And remember: no horking it from
Best Buy!